This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8098484.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| North Korea in plutonium threat | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| North Korea has said it will weaponise its plutonium stocks amid threats to take military action over United Nations sanctions, state media said. | North Korea has said it will weaponise its plutonium stocks amid threats to take military action over United Nations sanctions, state media said. |
| Pyongyang would view any US-led attempts to "blockade" it as an "act of war", the Associated Press (AP) said. | Pyongyang would view any US-led attempts to "blockade" it as an "act of war", the Associated Press (AP) said. |
| The warning from North Korea's foreign ministry was carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Saturday. | The warning from North Korea's foreign ministry was carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Saturday. |
| It follows a toughening of UN sanctions against the communist state. | It follows a toughening of UN sanctions against the communist state. |
| 'Unacceptable behaviour' | |
| On Friday, the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to impose tougher sanctions on communist North Korea, after its nuclear test on 25 May. | |
| The sanctions include the inspection of North Korean ships, a wider ban on arms sales and other financial measures. | |
| The US deputy ambassador at the UN, Rosemary DiCarlo, said the new vote was a strong and united response to North Korea's "unacceptable behaviour". | |
| The North Korean foreign ministry statement said: "Firstly, all plutonium to be extracted will be weaponised. One third of used fuel rods have so far been reprocessed. | |
| "Secondly, we will start uranium enrichment," the statement added. | |
| North Korea is thought to possess enough reprocessed plutonium for between six and eight nuclear weapons. | |
| However, analysts say Pyongyang has not yet mastered the technology to make a nuclear warhead small enough to place on a missile. |